Throughout the last several years, online livestock sales have skyrocketed leading to breeders and businesses reaching more people all over California and the United States. Once the coronavirus pandemic started shutting down the United States, hitting especially hard in California, livestock shows including 4-H and FFA county fairs began to be cancelled all over the state. Although some lucky counties were still able to hold in-person shows, many others suffered with not being able to show. Here in San Luis Obispo county, the California Mid State Fair was faced with the challenge of creating an online livestock show for their exhibitors which included all livestock species; cattle, sheep, goats and pigs, along with welding projects, cooking and crafts. Youth exhibitors created photos and videos of their projects to submit to the CMSF office to still have a chance to compete in their related fields.
Although this county fair wasn’t the only one to face these challenges, they were able to implement a new platform for online submissions and auction to present and sell their projects to the community. ShoWorks, a previously used sign-up platform for exhibitors, turned into the video submission and auction platform. With an online auction, exhibitors were still able to sell projects but did not know how to reach their supporters. Many youth still sent out “buyers letters” to let community members know about their projects and ask for their support for their projects but could not go physically talk to them like before.
Importance of social media
Exhibitors overcame this challenge with the help of the people around them. Many used social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook to let friends and family know that they had projects and were asking for their support. With the state-wide news of the CMSF cancellation it was not as hard to get the community to pull together to support the 2020 project exhibitors. Even if someone in the community wanted to support the 4-H and FFA youth, they were still able to donate to a foundation where the money would be added to the biddings of exhibitors for the 2020 Junior Livestock show. This foundation will be expected to still be in place for the 2021 Junior Livestock Show Auction.
Celebrating Champion Exhibitors
The CMSF created ways to celebrate their exhibitors by creating a Awards Night to hand out awards and announced several other awards pertaining to the fair. They created a special night to honor Champion exhibitors and announced them officially through their social media and Paso Robles Press. Not only were parents able to attend this night but it was live-stream to allow others to experience the night and to celebrate their friends and family members who would be getting awards.
What’s Next?
Looking into this next show season, many county fairs and jackpot shows will be cancelled for in-person shows meaning youth and their parents are faced with the decision to purchase and raise livestock for an online experience. Many may yet again opt-out of the entire experience but many are also looking forward to the 2021 California Mid State Fair. It has not yet been announced if the Fair will be cancelled but many will take the risk in the end.
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